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GER, a subsidiary of Puerto Verde Holdings (PVH), in 2023 filed a petition with the STB for authority to construct and operate the line, which would be part of an international commercial transportation corridor proposed by PVH, the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge project, consisting, in addition to the proposed line, of a new border crossing for commercial motor vehicles (associated CMV Facility) between Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, and Eagle Pass, Tex.

The Draft EIS (download below) analyzes the potential environmental impacts of both the proposed rail line, which requires licensing authority from the STB, and the commercial motor vehicle crossing because they would be built as a single port of entry for freight rail and commercial motor vehicle traffic between Mexico and the United States, according to the STB. It was prepared together with the United States Coast Guard as a cooperating agency, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

Green Eagle Railroad DEIS Volume I_DEIS_03142025_508Download

The Draft EIS preliminarily identifies the Southern Rail Alternative, one of two studied, as the Preferred Alternative (see map at the top of the page); it is also GER’s preferred alignment.

“OEA’s analysis showed that the beneficial and adverse impacts of the Southern Rail Alternative and those of the Northern Rail Alternative would be generally similar, with the exception of impacts on visual quality, noise, and water resources,” the OEA reported in March. “While the Southern Rail Alternative would have greater visual impacts than the Northern Rail Alternative, it would have lesser noise impacts (severe impacts on three receptors versus 12 receptors for the Northern Rail Alternative). The Southern Rail Alternative also includes only one crossing of Seco Creek, compared to four crossings for the Northern Rail Alternative, resulting in lesser potential impacts on the creek. OEA found that the Southern Rail Alternative would have fewer impacts on noise and Seco Creek when compared to the Northern Rail Alternative and that this would compensate for the greater visual impact of the Southern Rail Alternative.”

Under the Southern Rail Alternative, the proposed line would be a “secure,” double-tracked line extending between the existing UP main line at approximately milepost 31 and the United States/Mexico border, according to the OEA. This alternative would cross the Rio Grande River on a new rail bridge (New Rail Bridge), which would stand approximately 60 feet above the water line and would be about 45 feet wide. The New Rail Bridge would have only one in-water pier, on the Mexican side of the border, OEA noted. East of the Rio Grande River, this alternative would run to the south of Seco Creek. It would cross U.S. 277 (Del Rio Boulevard); Barrera Street; a concrete-lined stormwater drainage channel; and Seco Creek on four other, smaller bridges. Between bridges, this alternative would be constructed on an elevated embankment up to approximately 19 feet high and 130 feet wide. According to the OEA, other features include a non-intrusive inspection facility just past the eastern end of the New Rail Bridge; culverts; fencing; service roads; and 20-foot-high noise barriers on both sides of the tracks between the Stormwater Channel Bridge and the non-intrusive inspection facility.

The associated CMV Facility would be constructed a short distance to the north of the proposed line, on what is currently agricultural land, according to OEA. (See map of the associated CMV Facility, plus the Southern Rail Alternative below.) It would consist of a new bridge (New Road Bridge) across the Rio Grande River just north of the New Rail Bridge; a new road (CMV Road) connecting the New Road Bridge to FM 1589 (Hopedale Road); and associated border inspection facilities.

This map shows the proposed line and the associated CMV Facility. Click here to open the Green Eagle Railroad EIS Interactive Map.

“OEA reviewed the potential environmental impacts that could result from construction and operation of the proposed line and the associated CMV Facility,” it reported in the Draft EIS. “OEA’s findings were based on consultation with federal, state, and local agencies; input from GER and the public; and OEA’s own independent analyses. OEA is preliminarily recommending mitigation for the following resource areas: noise, cultural resources, and biological resources. OEA is not recommending mitigation for other resource areas because impacts would be beneficial; they would be minor and minimized through compliance with applicable laws and regulations; or they cannot feasibly and reasonably be mitigated.”

OEA accepted comments on all aspects of the Draft EIS through May 5, 2025. It also held three public meetings: two in-person on April 29 and one virtual on May 1.

OEA on Aug. 6 issued a Final EIS, which responds to comments received on the Draft EIS and sets forth OEA’s final recommendations, including final recommended mitigation measures, to the STB (download Final EIS documents below). Issuance of the Final EIS completes the Board’s environmental review for this project.

52673 Volume IDownload Green Eagle Railroad FEIS Volume II_Appendices_08062025_508Download

“Between March 14 and June 2, 2025, OEA received 104 written or verbal comment submissions (a
single submission may contain several comments) from 92 unique commenters,” it reported in the Final EIS. “Commenters included members of the public and representatives of agencies and organizations. Some individuals, agencies, or organizations commented more than once or in more than one format. OEA reviewed all the comments, including, where applicable, their attachments. OEA’s review of the 104 written and verbal submissions received identified 50 substantive comments from 41 commenters. Responses to the substantive comments are provided in Appendix O of this Final EIS. Changes that OEA made to the text of the Draft EIS in response to the comments are shown in tracked changes (underlined or crossed-out). None of the comments required additional analysis or substantive changes to the text of the Draft EIS.” The Final EIS also sets forth OEA’s final recommended environmental mitigation measures, OEA noted.

In reaching its decision on whether to grant GER’s request for authority to construct and operate the
proposed line, the STB will consider the Draft EIS, the Final EIS, public comments, and the final environmental mitigation recommended by OEA, as well as the record on the transportation
merits.

The post STB Issues EIS for Proposed Maverick County, Tex., Line (UPDATED 8/6) appeared first on Railway Age.

Northstar service between Minneapolis and Big Lake, Minn., may be replaced by buses, the Minnesota Star Tribune and other local media outlets reported in February. Now, they say, Metropolitan Council meeting documents propose shuttering the commuter rail service in early January 2026.

Background

“MnDOT’s recent Twin Cities – St. Cloud-Fargo/Moorhead Corridor study makes it clear we can provide more cost-effective transit service in the corridor currently being served by Northstar Commuter Rail,” the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the Metropolitan Council said in a Feb. 24 joint statement, according to FOX 9 KMSP. “As the world and consumer demand changes, we must be willing to be flexible and innovative to offer better service while saving dollars. We have jointly started the process to explore transitioning to bus service in this corridor. That process includes working with our federal partners and our rail partners at BNSF Railway, who we have appreciated as a critical [host freight rail] partner. In the coming months, we will have more information, including timeline information and projected future savings. For Minnesotans who currently utilize this service, we are committed to working with you to ensure you have access to high-quality transportation in this corridor.”

The MnDOT study (download below) “found that transitioning to bus service between Minneapolis and St. Cloud would cost millions less than the status quo,” according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. “It costs about $12 million annually to operate Northstar, a budget that would shrink to $2 million if buses were used.”

Twin Cities-St. Cloud-Fargo Moorhead Corridor Study-38765459-v1Download

“This is the beginning to finally end Northstar service, with its ridiculously low ridership, its ridiculously huge operating subsidies and its ridiculously expensive maintenance costs,” said Minnesota state Rep. Jon Koznick, a Republican who serves District 5A, according to the Tribune. Koznick, also on Feb. 24, debuted a bill to shut down the rail line, which “passed the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee on Monday [Feb. 24], and will be sent to the House floor for further debate,” said the paper, which added that “several Democrats thought the move was premature.”

The Northstar Line offers service between Big Lake and downtown Minneapolis, stopping at stations in Elk River, Ramsey, Anoka, Coon Rapids, and Fridley. It connects with buses (Northstar Link) for service to and from St. Cloud. (Map Courtesy of Metro Transit)

The 40-mile Northstar service in the Northstar corridor opened Nov. 16, 2009, between downtown Minneapolis and the northern city of Big Lake (see map, right); it was originally envisioned to link with St. Cloud, but connects to that city via bus. From 2011 through 2019, it carried between 2,200 and 3,300 weekday riders during the morning and evening peak commute hours; it also featured special event service on evenings and weekends for Minnesota’s Twins, Vikings, and University of Minnesota Gopher sporting events. MotivePower (Wabtec) MP36PH-3Cs power the trains, which comprise Alstom (originally Bombardier) bilevels. 

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a dramatic ridership drop of nearly 98%—just 60 weekday rides in April 2020, according to the Metropolitan Council, which is the regional policy-making body providing transit, wastewater collection and treatment, and affordable housing services in the seven-county Twin Cities metro area, and is charged under state law with establishing regional growth policies and long-range plans for transportation, aviation, water resources, and regional parks. In 2021, daily ridership peaked in October at 346 daily rides or just over 13% of the October 2019 pre-pandemic level. In 2022, Northstar carried around 300 daily rides.

While employees have been returning to in-person work, “Northstar’s recovery has been lackluster, with just over 127,000 riders last year, renewing Republican lawmakers’ chorus to shut it down,” the Tribune reported. The service provides four weekday trains and no weekend service unless there is a special event.

“‘We know travel patterns have changed’ since the pandemic,” Met Council Chair Charlie Zelle said, according to the Tribune. “He said bus service would likely be more frequent to reflect the new paradigm.”

MnDOT was charged with conducting the Twin Cities – St. Cloud-Fargo/Moorhead Corridor study by the state legislature. The purpose: “to conduct an analysis and evaluation of options for development of transit and rail service improvements in the corridor between the Minnesota cities of St. Paul, Minneapolis, Coon Rapids, St. Cloud and Moorhead, and Fargo, N.Dak.” It assessed alternatives for transit service in the corridor and the elimination of Northstar commuter rail in conjunction with those alternatives.

According to the Tribune, the “study laid out different options for Northstar, but didn’t recommend that the service be terminated altogether. It explored the potential cost to extend service to the Fargo/Moorhead area, either by extending Northstar’s route, by expanding Amtrak service or by combining bus and train service.” MnDOT, it noted, is studying expanding Amtrak’s Chicago-to-St. Paul Borealis service to Coon Rapids and St. Cloud.

If the Northstar service were to end, it would involve “unspooling contracts” between MnDOT, Met Council, BNSF, the state of Minnesota, and the Federal Transit Administration, which provided a Full-Funding Grant Agreement for the $320 million project, according to the Tribune. “The federal government and possibly the state would have to be reimbursed if Northstar shut down, athough it’s unclear how much,” the paper said. “Congress would have to approve any waiver of those costs.”

The Tribune added that “[t]he remaining interest in Northstar is about $30 million to $35 million, according to the report, not including property and buildings along the line, which would need to be appraised to determine current market value.”

UPDATE, AUG. 6

“The end of the line for the struggling Northstar Commuter Rail could come in early January, according to a plan the Metropolitan Council will discuss Thursday [Aug. 7] and later vote on,” the Tribune reported Aug. 5. Under a proposal by Metro Transit, the operating division of the Met Council, “the final Northstar train would run Jan. 3 or 4 of next year, after the last regular season Vikings game, and transition to bus service along parts of the route, according to Met Council meeting documents.”

The documents, the newspaper said, “outline a new Route 888 coach bus that would run between Ramsey and Minneapolis. Route 827, replacing the current 852, would run from Fridley to Minneapolis. The buses would run at 30-minute intervals during rush hours. Both would start in 2026.”

According to the Tribune report, “Metro Transit and other government partners are discussing next steps along the line, including what to do with infrastructure and planning demolition of stations.”

FEBRUARY 2025 COMMENTARY

“I reviewed the report, and it looks like one of the many studies I have seen that tells the client what the client wants to hear,” commented Railway Age Contributing Editor David Peter Alan in February. “In this case, it’s that the Northstar service is not worth keeping, and that it would be a better deal just to run a bus. While I’m not sufficiently familiar with the subject matter of the study, I rode the Northstar years ago, after getting off Amtrak’s Empire Builder at St. Cloud, spending the day there, and taking the connecting bus and then the Northstar into Minneapolis. The operation was not conducive to encouraging ridership. 

“The service today consists of three peak-hour trains in prevailing direction and one in reverse direction, with no service at any other time. From what I remember and some research I did, all stations are park-and-ride, with the towns some distance away from them. There has never been service to St. Cloud, except taking the train halfway there to Big Lake and a bus the rest of the way. Service outside the commuting peak has also been very limited, even when there was a bit of service on the weekends. There was never any interest, as far as I could ascertain, to run a more-robust level of service or to run trains to St. Cloud, which is a destination worth visiting.

“All in all, it does not appear that the Northstar service was ever designed to carry more than the number of commuters who could fill up the spots in the parking lots, which inherently limited its effectiveness in providing mobility in the region. Now a consultant’s report is calling for its termination, so its days are probably numbered. Maybe it’s just an example of how not to design and build a passenger service.”

Further Reading:

• A Tale of Twin Cities
• Debate heating over future of Northstar commuter rail

The post Reports: Will Minnesota Shutter Northstar Commuter Rail? (UPDATED 8/6) appeared first on Railway Age.

The agreement was effective Aug. 1, according to OmniTRAX, the transportation and infrastructure affiliate of The Broe Group that operates 31 railroads, serving ports and industrial parks across the country.

Tata Chemicals’ mine, one of the largest in North America for soda ash (a.k.a., sodium carbonate), is in Green River, which OmniTRAX said is home to one of the world’s largest reserves of trona ore and is the county seat of Sweetwater County (see map below). Soda ash, it noted, is a key raw material used across glass manufacturing, detergents, chemicals, and textiles.

Green River, Wyo., Map Courtesy of OpenRailwayMap.org.

“Tata Chemicals is one of the largest soda ash producers in the world, and we are honored that they have entrusted OmniTRAX to serve their largest domestic mine,” OmniTRAX President and COO Sergio Sabatini said. “We look forward to bringing our industry leading rail safety and service to Wyoming.”  

“We are excited to work with OmniTRAX to provide safe and reliable rail service to Green River’s soda ash facilities,” added Kenny Rocker, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Sales, for Union Pacific. “Union Pacific has played a pivotal role in the global economy for more than 160 years, and we are proud to do our part supporting the growing worldwide demand for Green River soda ash.”

Earlier this year, OmniTRAX became the exclusive operator of the Long Island, N.Y.-based Brookhaven Rail Terminal and of Port Muskogee’s Port Muskogee Railroad in Oklahoma. It also teamed with Coast Belle Rail Corporation to run Santa Maria Valley Railroad in California.

The post OmniTRAX: Exclusive Switching Partner for Tata Chemicals’ Wyoming Mine appeared first on Railway Age.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary report for its ongoing investigation of the July 5, 2025, CN train derailment with hazardous materials release and subsequent fire near Glendora, Miss.

What Happened?

At about 2:26 p.m. local time, a southbound CN mixed-freight train derailed 22 railcars on the Yazoo subdivision at milepost 97.63, according to the NTSB, which published its report on Aug. 5 and noted that the information is “preliminary and subject to change.” One of the derailed railcars, a Department of Transportation Specification 111A100W1 loaded with the benzene, breached and caught fire. “There were no reported fatalities or injuries, and about 160 people were evacuated in a 1 mile radius of the accident,” the agency said. At the time of the accident, visibility conditions were clear, and the weather was 90°F with no precipitation. CN estimated damages to be about $1.5 million, the NTSB said.

The train, whose crew included one engineer and one conductor, had departed Memphis, Tenn., around 11:08 a.m., destined for Baton Rouge, La. It was a key train, which the NTSB defined as “a train with any one of the following components: at least one tank car containing anhydrous ammonia, ammonia solutions, or material designated as a poison or toxic inhalation hazard; 20 railcar loads of any combination of hazardous material; or one or more railcar loads of spent nuclear fuel or radioactive waste.” The 139-car train comprised 59 loaded railcars and 80 empties, including 11 residue cars, which are defined as empty tank cars that have “not yet been refilled or cleaned of hazardous material and purged to remove any hazardous vapors,” with 23 hazmat tank cars. Of the 23 hazmat tank cars, the NTSB said, one was loaded with compressed gas (refrigerant), 16 were loaded with benzene, and six were loaded with petroleum. The train was traveling about 29 mph on a right-hand curve near milepost 97.63 when NTSB said it experienced a train-initiated emergency brake application and derailed railcars 29 through 50.

According to the agency, a few days before the accident, on July 2, a CN autonomous track inspection vehicle “noted two superelevation track defects in the area of the derailment, which CN reported were addressed by a track surfacing unit on July 3.” In accordance with operational procedure, it said, CN subsequently placed a 10 mph speed restriction on that segment of track for the next two trains and then raised it to 30 mph on July 3. At the time of the accident, the speed restriction of 30 mph was still in place for the segment of track on which the accident occurred.

Local emergency responders and CN hazmat responders extinguished the fire around 11:30 p.m. on July 5, the NTSB reported, and the evacuation order was lifted shortly thereafter. CN contractors removed about 25,000 gallons of product from the breached benzene tank car. The “product,” the NTSB said, included both the material itself and water used in firefighting activities.

While on scene, the NTSB reviewed data from locomotive event recorders and inward- and outward-facing image recorders, inspected train equipment and track structures, reviewed CN’s engineering standards and procedures, and completed interviews.

NTSB’s investigation is ongoing. “Future investigative activity will focus on CN’s procedures related to track inspections, engineering defect mitigation, employee training and testing, and emergency response,” it reported.

Parties to the investigation include the Federal Railroad Administration; Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; CN; International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers; Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen; and Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division.

According to the NTSB, the timing between the beginning of an investigation and a probable cause determination and report varies based on the complexity of the investigation and the workload of the agency’s investigators. In general, the NTSB said it tries to complete an investigation within 12 to 24 months, “but these and other factors can greatly affect that timing.”

Further Reading:

• NTSB Determines Probable Cause for NS Conductor Injury
• NTSB Issues Investigations Report on BNSF’s April 26 Hazmat Derailment
• NTSB Determines Probable Cause for UP Train Collision, Conductor Fatality Accident

The post NTSB Issues Preliminary Report for CN July 5 Derailment appeared first on Railway Age.

Messe Berlin, organizer of the InnoTrans trade fair, has announced the inaugural edition of InnoTrans Asia, set to take place in Singapore Sept. 7–9, 2027, at Singapore EXPO. “This landmark event marks the first time the InnoTrans brand expands into Asia, reinforcing its commitment to supporting innovation and global connectivity in the rail and mobility sectors, with strategic focus on the high-growth Asian market and North American participation,” Messe Berlin said.

“Singapore is the ideal location for our first Asian edition,” said Kai Mangelberger, Senior Vice President of Mobility at Messe Berlin. “It’s a gateway to the Asia Pacific region and a center of technological advancement and strategic planning. The demand for smart, sustainable mobility solutions in the region is growing exponentially, and we are excited to bring InnoTrans’ world-class exhibition experience to Singapore to serve that need.”

InnoTrans Asia will feature a focused exhibition and conference program highlighting urban mobility, rail infrastructure, tunneling technologyand digital innovation. “North American companies are encouraged to leverage this platform to explore export opportunities, partnerships, and expansion into Asia, where governments are investing heavily in modernizing transport systems,” organizers noted.

Held every two years in Berlin, Germany, InnoTrans “is the leading international trade fair for transport technology, attracting tens of thousands of industry professionals from around the world,” Messe Berlin said. “The next edition of InnoTrans in Berlin will be held Sept.22–25, 2026, and will continue to serve as the global flagship gathering for the sector. With Asia rapidly emerging as a center for transportation infrastructure growth, InnoTrans Asia 2027 will offer a timely and powerful new platform tailored to the region’s needs. By bringing together decision-makers, suppliers, manufacturers, and innovators from across the globe, InnoTrans Asia will complement the established Berlin show and strengthen the brand’s position as the global meeting place for the transport technology sector.”

Exhibitor Registration is now open. U.S. and Canadian companies should contact Mary Jo Balve, North American Representative, InnoTrans Shows, mjbalve@globaltradeshow.com, 732-933-1118 (mobile).

The post InnoTrans Asia: 2027 Debut, Singapore appeared first on Railway Age.

Reducing GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions from our locomotive operations remains a key CPKC sustainability goal and an important issue facing the railway industry. CPKC has made potentially industry-changing progress toward that goal through our pioneering Hydrogen Locomotive Program.

A recent commentary written by Don Graab and published in Railway Age (“A Three-Tiered Approach to Emission Reductions – Starting from the Bottom,” July 22, 2025) mischaracterizes the safety and operational advances made with our innovative technology and makes false assumptions about key motivations for CPKC’s growing program. 

CPKC started the Hydrogen Locomotive Program to support the industry in achieving practical zero-emission solutions as we all journey toward decarbonization. It is not about one specific policy from any one government, which can change at any time as we have seen in Canada with carbon taxes.

Beyond capital investment, what about maintaining safety, efficiently producing the needed power and getting the fuel? 

Safety always has been front and center in developing hydrogen locomotive power. Our locomotives, designed by professional engineers, include several advanced systems to maintain operational safety. For example, critical safety features are in place to detect potential hydrogen leaks and properly store onboard hydrogen. Effective ventilation and detection of hydrogen maintains a safe operation. Left unstated in Mr. Graab’s overview of locomotive power alternatives is that lithium batteries present similar flammability risks when compared to hydrogen.

Photo by Kevin Dunk

A well-designed hydrogen system using the right materials can overcome a small hydrogen molecule’s tendency to leak. We’ve seen this demonstrated with hydrogen automobiles, buses, helicopters, forklifts and other transportation vehicles used every day. Again, advanced leak detection systems are central to the success of our technology. These systems are tied into the control system and are capable of shutting down the locomotive.

CPKC

Pipelines can and do play a distribution role. Geographical regions such as Edmonton, Alberta and Houston, Tex. have hosted hydrogen pipelines for several decades. Hydrogen is heavily utilized in fossil fuel refining processes. These pipelines extended several miles among several refining sites. But the options are not limited to pipeline. 

Two CPKC terminals receive hydrogen today by truck. The hydrogen, offloaded into on-site storage vessels, is liquified at the source, enabling transportation. Several distribution companies have existed for decades and continue to operate. We also make hydrogen through an electrolysis process at two of our locations, thereby negating the need to distribute. Dedicated right-sized electrolyzers can be purchased and installed based on the required amount of daily-use hydrogen.

Dr. Kyle Mulligan is Assistant Vice President Operations Technology at CPKC. He holds a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Sherbrooke in addition to degrees in computer systems, electrical, and biomedical engineering. He is a two-time recipient of CPKC’s CEO Award for Excellence, was named as one of Railway Age’s 2018 10 under 40 recipients, and is a mentor with FIRST, a group that inspires young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. Kyle also volunteers as an engineer for CPKC’s mini train program and with Grow Calgary, Canada’s largest community farm.

Further Reading: CPKC Puts Hydrogen to the Test

The post CPKC Hydrogen Locomotive Program Creating Innovative GHG-Reduction Solutions appeared first on Railway Age.

RAILWAY AGE AUGUST 2025 ISSUE: North America’s tank car fleet is relatively young. Regulations, though tricky and challenging, should benefit carbuilders, component suppliers and lessors.

Tank cars, the second-largest railcar group in the North American fleet after covered hoppers, represent the most diverse commodity base in railroading. They are their own ecosystem, with a whopping 854 STCC (Standard Transportation Commodity Code) designations. Chemicals and Refined Products represent the largest subgrouping of the commodity groups, each with more than a half-million loads annually. 

Tank car designs have mostly stabilized after the post Lac-Mégantic period of evolution and redesign. The replacement rate is approximately 8,000 cars annually, excluding regulatory requirements to phase out older, hazmat-carrying cars. In 2024, approximately 10,000 new units were built.

Regulatory issues remain on the table, among them HM-246, governing very-high hazard-commodities, mostly TIH (Toxic Inhalation) commodities such as chlorine, anhydrous ammonia and ethylene oxide. More regulatory changes fall under the FAST Act, such as HM-251, governing hazardous flammable liquids like crude oil and ethanol. There is potential for regulation acceleration in the wake of East Palestine.

Tank car regulations are tricky and challenging, but should benefit carbuilders, component suppliers and lessors. The U.S. and Canadian governments enacted legislation updating the phaseout date of all tank cars used for transport of flammable liquids, except DOT-117J (new) and DOT-117R (rebuilt) cars, to May 1, 2029. The phaseout is applicable to loaded and residue shipments. 

Transport Canada

According to U.S. DOT Hazardous Materials Regulations, all jacketed and unjacketed legacy Class 111s, as well as jacketed and unjacketed enhanced Class 111s (also called CPC-1232s), will be prohibited from importing, offering for transport, handling or transporting unrefined petroleum products, ethanol, and Class 3 flammable liquids in Packing Group I. Under Transport Canada’s Containers for Transport of Dangerous Goods by Rail standard, the same restrictions apply for Packing Groups I, II and III.

New legislation affecting tank cars is the OBBBA (One Big Beautiful Bill Act), which significantly impacts the Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, extending the credit period, modifying feedstock requirements and clarifying rules related to Foreign Entities of Concern (FEOCs). Specifically, the OBBBA extends the sale deadline for eligible fuel under Section 45Z to Dec. 31, 2029. It also introduces stricter domestic feedstock requirements for fuel produced after Dec. 31, 2025, limiting eligible feedstock to that produced or grown in the U.S., Mexico or Canada. Additionally, the OBBBA introduces restrictions on FEOCs claiming the credit, with specific rules for entities related to or conducting significant transactions with FEOCs, impacting various clean energy credits including 45Z. 

For this report, Railway Age asked tank car market stakeholders for their long-term view on the tank car market. What types will be in demand and why? What is the regulatory outlook? The equipment finance perspective?

“The rental market for tank railcars is the most service oriented of any operating lessor dominated railcar leasing market,” says Railroad Financial Corp. President and Railway Age Financial Editor David Nahass. “That’s not exactly news—it has been that way for some time. However, as the cost of maintaining a tank car continues to rise, that dynamic continues to favor lessors who can provide the necessary levels of service to their customers. 

“What specifically has changed? The regulatory process and record-keeping requirements provide lessors an opportunity to flex their financial muscle and expertise to the benefit of their customers. Specifically, the ten-year required recertification process for all tank railcars, HM-216, is costly, and shop availability can be sporadic. Railcar end users need to maintain technical and operational expertise to handle the process in a timely, efficient and cost-effective manner. Having a lessor partner to help with the process is a draw for end users.

“Overall, the rental market for tank cars continues to remain relatively robust even as the market has seen some limited pockets of weakness. There is anecdotal evidence that rates have retreated from loftier highs of late 2024, but there is fundamental strength underpinning the market that is unlikely to dissipate in the near future. There are a few core reasons for this:

• “Tank railcar supply is running below at the rate of replacement.
• “The replacement cycle for cars included in HHFT (high hazard flammable trains) is not yet completed.
• “Growth in the chemicals loadings segment (chemicals, along with petroleum and petroleum products are the largest commodity groups for tank railcar use).
• “Even with modest annual production of new tank railcars, tank railcar prices remain elevated vs. pre-pandemic prices.

“The industry has handled the HM-216 bubble well—better than many people expected. Tank railcar supply remains consistent, so expectations for a downturn in rates should be tempered. The costs of tank railcar maintenance seem to be rising more rapidly than the cost of new cars; that would suggest continued opportunities for lessors to provide high-level service to customers and to maintain strong leasing margins into the near future.”

Union Tank Car photo

At Railway Age’s Rail Insights 2025 conference, Nahass spoke with Katherine Suprenuk, President of Leasing and Manufacturing, Union Tank Car Company & Procor (a Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway Company), about the tank car market. “We’ve talked about circumstances that might change the demand cycle and potentially be drivers for increased building of new cars,” Nahass said. “Additionally, we see fleet attrition in many classes of assets due to the aging of cars. Can you imagine a time where, because of having had low backlogs for some time, we struggle to build the railcars necessary to serve current demand levels?

“It is a fair concern for tank cars, as coming out of COVID we had about three years where we were building below replacement levels. However, things have since turned and we’ve had net additions over the past, say, year and a half as the cars previously ordered have been built and delivered. Order volume began to soften in 2024. And then the tariff policy and economic conditions have exacerbated the situation, and ordering has continued to slow over the past few months. It’s quite possible that, if this continues without a meaningful hit to demand, the North American fleet could tighten up further. That said, whether it’s tank cars or freight cars, while shortages happen, they tend to be short term, and I can’t imagine a situation where there’s a prolonged car shortage. The market is fluid and adaptive. When push comes to shove, orders will be placed if customers need the cars. They’ve just slowed down. We’ll adapt, and I don’t see any major shortage coming.”

“From the tank car perspective, chemicals continue to be a bright spot in a fairly tepid loadings landscape,” Nahass observed. “Even with the tariffs and other economic related uncertainty, the economy seems like it’s poised for a downturn. We’re not sure, but are we seeing it to some degree in the plastics market as an example? Do you see continued strength through the remainder of the year in the chemicals segment, or will we see economic weakness cause a little bit of a pullback?

“Chemicals are very relevant for tank cars,” Suprenuk said. “Half of tank car loaded moves comes from chemicals. We do watch that closely, and you’re right, that has been a relative bright spot in the loadings profile for things moving in tank cars. But the year-over-year growth we’re seeing is about one percentage point year to date, which is more modest. Generally, I believe it should be positive in 2025, but the growth may wane to some extent. Looking at the broader economic context, there’s other indicators that are showing signs of contraction in manufacturing. The PMI (Purchasing Managers Index) has been signaling a slowdown for the past several months. GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and IP (Industrial Production) forecasts show modest year-over-year growth. All this points to continued fragility in overall demand, which if it continues could soften chemicals to some degree. But I still think for the year, it’ll probably be up vs. last year.”

“Are there notable regulatory initiatives under way that could shape the tank car market and have an impact on all the things we’ve been discussing?” Nahass asked.

“There’s one area that could have a significant impact on the industry in a positive way: HM-265, which addresses hazardous materials regulations. Last year, PHMSA (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) put forth a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes revising the hazardous materials regulations. Union Tank Car, through the RSI (Railway Supply Institute), submitted input through the normal comment process as we usually do, and that will help shape the regulations, aiming overall to increase efficiency while maintaining safety standards that we have. With this evolving NPRM, there are a couple of areas related to deregulation of authority that RSI would like to see included in a final rule. One relates to quality assurance programs for tank car repair shops. The other has to do with tank car design approvals.”

“As for existing quality assurance programs, the AAR owns and enforces them. The proposal is that we allow tank car facilities to adopt any established quality assurance program and still be subject to audits against that program, giving them more flexibility. This would align the AAR with what is already in place at Transport Canada. As for tank car designs, currently they require approval by the AAR Tank Car Committee. On the table is making it acceptable to use ‘design-certified engineers’ instead of the existing AAR approval process. Both these changes, if implemented, would promote efficiency and innovation. The tank car supply industry is quite supportive. We view these changes to be in alignment with the objectives of the current Administration, and we hope that PHMSA continues to make HM-265 a priority and push it forward.”

TrinityRail photo

“The tank car fleet is young, so replacement will play less of a role in tank deliveries than regulatory and commodity growth drivers,” says TrinityRail Chief Commercial Officer Charley Moore. “Deliveries for HM-251 and HM-246 compliance are ongoing, and tank cars move key commodities integral for North American Energy Transition, like soybean oil, renewable diesel and acids. Regulatory requirements have been a big driver in new and existing tank car demand over the past several years. Shippers continue to make progress in complying with HM-251 and HM-246. In addition, qualification requirements for existing tank cars are a big driver of elevated maintenance events and costs for shippers and lessors. As well, we have seen strong interest for telemetry within the tank car fleet. Given the sensitive nature of some of the commodities moved in tank cars, increased visibility to location, temperature, etc., can give tank car shippers a competitive edge.”

The Greenbrier Companies photo

“We view the long-term tank car outlook as stable, led by replacements, with some modest growth at roughly 10,000 units annually for the next five years,” says The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. Vice President of Marketing and General Manager Tom Jackson. “One of the key areas driving this growth is renewable feedstock, particularly from seed oils such as soybeans. Our confidence in this outlook was further bolstered by the recent passage of the 45Z tax credit within the OBBBA on July 4. While we do not foresee major growth catalysts like those experienced during the Ethanol Boom or the Crude-by-Rail eras, this stability is beneficial from a builder’s planning perspective, as it allows us to avoid significant production ramp-ups and ramp-downs. 

“Additionally, we are expecting modest growth in the Pressure tank car segment. Of the 450,000 tank cars in service, General Purpose (GP) tanks make up 80% of the total, while Pressure tanks comprise the remaining 20%. Interestingly, we expect the Pressure segment to outpace the growth of GP tanks over the next five years. This anticipated growth is largely driven by the regulatory phase-out deadline of May 1, 2029, for other flammable liquids in Packing Groups II and III.” 

The post Stable Market—For Now appeared first on Railway Age.

Bachmann Europe have revealed the Graham Farish N Gauge releases in their Autumn 2025 British Railway announcements, with the GWR Castle and Class 150 making a welcome return to the range.

The Pueblo Railway Museum is hosting a “Railfan Day” on August 9, which will feature short train rides, a photo freight, slide shows, and more. The event will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and cost $40 per person to attend. 

The Pueblo Railway Museum was established in the early 2000s by the Pueblo Railway Foundation and features a variety of equipment, including a Santa Fe 4-8-4, three operational GP9s, and a trio of unusual “Rocket Cars” from the 1960s. 

Festivities will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday with a shop tour, followed by caboose rides at 9 a.m. At 11 a.m., a photo freight will run. In the afternoon, there will be additional tours and a slide show. For more information and to register, visit the museum’s website. —Railfan & Railroad Staff

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Minnesota’s Northstar commuter rail will come to an end in January, according to an update from MetroTransit. 

Earlier this year, the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Council (the regional planning agency for the Twin Cities) started reevaluating the passenger service that connects the northern suburbs with downtown Minneapolis. Before the pandemic, about 2,000 to 3,000 people rode the trains daily, but according to MPR News, that number has fallen to just a few hundred. In 2023, the line earned about $323,589 in fares but had operating costs of roughly $11.6 million. 

Northstar was established in 2009 and operates on BNSF Railway trackage, which also manages it through its commuter rail division. (Besides Northstar, BNSF runs passenger trains for Metra in Illinois, Sounder in Washington, and Metrolink in California.) Originally, the line was supposed to connect the Twin Cities with St. Cloud, but an extension beyond Big Lake never happened. Some say that’s why the service has never prospered. Ridership on Northstar also trails behind commuter services of similar size.

With declining ridership and rising costs, MetroTransit plans to replace the commuter trains with buses that will mostly follow the same route as Northstar. According to a presentation this week, the last run will be on either Saturday, January 3, 2026, or Sunday, January 4, 2026, after the Minnesota Vikings’ last regular season game.

—Justin Franz 

The post Northstar Commuter Rail to End in January appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

Headquartered in Chicago, 80-year-old Lochner “will drive Egis’ expansion in the U.S. market, leveraging its expertise in aviation, surface transportation, and water infrastructure,” according to a press release. Lochner joins forces with Egis’ award-winning U.S. team, operating from 19 offices in 13 states. The combined firm “will steward organic and acquisitive growth across key sectors, including the transportation, water, energy, and environmental markets.”

With a workforce of more than 1,100 professionals spanning 54 offices, Lochner will combine with Egis’ 265+ U.S.-based engineers, project managers, and architects to provide a full range of consulting and technical services, encompassing every aspect of mobility and the built environment. Since 1945, Egis in the U.S. “has developed a tradition of engineering excellence, enhancing communities across the nation,” the company noted.

Terry Ruhl, CEO, Lochner (CNW Group/Egis)

“The Lochner merger is a major milestone in meeting Egis’ goal of expanding our footprint in the U.S.,” said Egis CEO Laurent Germain. “Lochner’s proven leadership, trusted brand, and growth trajectory make it the ideal partner to accelerate our geographic strategy. Together, we will deliver deeper technical expertise, broader service offerings, and greater value to our clients and communities.”

Alaa AbuSiam, CEO, Egis Americas Region (CNW Group/Egis)

“We’re excited to join Laurent and the Egis team in the U.S., drawing on the company’s global leadership in aviation, highways and bridges, transit and rail, ports and maritime, and tunnel infrastructure, as well as water, energy, environmental, urban development, vertical facilities, operations and maintenance, and concessionaire services,” said Lochner CEO Terry Ruhl. “As the U.S. base for Egis, we’re focused on scaling our impact, expanding opportunities for our team, and delivering high-quality projects and programs for our clients.”

“This merger expands our presence in the U.S. and strengthens our ability to support clients locally with global expertise,” added Egis American Region CEO Alaa AbuSiam. “The U.S. is a priority country for the Group, and the move will accelerate our development. The merger builds additional capabilities and gives Egis nationwide ability. We are investing here for the long term.”

The post Lochner, Egis Merge to Expand U.S. Presence appeared first on Railway Age.

According to PennDOT, Pennsylvania ranks first in the country in the number of operating railroads, with 65, and ranks near the top in total track mileage, with more than 5,600 miles. In the 2024 grant period, PennDOT awarded $55 million for 30 rail freight projects, “creating or sustaining 344 jobs across Pennsylvania.”

PennDOT manages two grant programs: RTAP, a capital budget grant program funded with bonds; and RFAP, which is funded through the Multimodal Fund created by Act 89 of 2013. Both programs, PennDOT says, “provide financial assistance for investment in rail freight infrastructure, with the intent of preserving essential rail freight service and stimulating economic growth through new or expanded rail freight service.”

“Pennsylvania’s rail freight network keeps goods moving and supports the economy, making it a critical piece of our transportation infrastructure,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “These investments are another example of the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to bolstering the business community and enhancing rail-line safety.”

Applications are available here, now through 4 PM on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025.

The post PennDOT: 2025 Rail Freight Grant Application Period Now Open appeared first on Railway Age.

FINANCIAL EDGE, RAILWAY AGE AUGUST 2025 ISSUE: Statistics indicate that married couples are better savers and do better financially than single people. It’s not over most married couples’ natural propensity to nest vs. the go-go life of a swinging single. Two people sharing one set of common expenses is more cost-effective and efficient than a single household. According to The Wall Street Journal, the median net worth of married couples between the ages of 25 and 34 is nine times that of similarly aged single households. That frees up more capital for fun (vacations and nice cars) and savings and therefore leads to the perception of a better quality of life. This is not true just for people, but for corporations as well.

The announcement that Union Pacific intends to acquire Norfolk Southern wasn’t the most surprising news wire in 2025. (That might be that the museum commemorating the great Johnstown, Pa., floods was closed due to … wait for it … flooding.) The buzz surrounding a possible transcontinental railroad merger was quite intense. UP’s initial announcement that it was in “advanced discussions” with NS could have been a product of confirmation bias, but more likely it was a response to a Presidential Administration that seems friendly to some kinds of business. 

Jason Seidl, Wall Street Contributing Editor for Railway Age, noted that UP was reading the politics in the room and that this overture felt serious. Seidl said that UP was expecting the fifth STB board member to support a merger and that the railroad hired an investment bank to assist in the evaluation. He was correct! As long-time Financial Edge columnist Tony Kruglinski often said, “If they’re spending money, then I know they’re serious.”

It had become difficult to pick up any state of the rails summary that didn’t discuss the possibility of a transcontinental merger. Some were surprised by the target of NS over CSX, but that was just noise. The real news is that if the six Class I’s become five, how long will it be before there are four or even three?

In a similar yet completely different vein, in mid-June, GATX announced an acquisition of Wells Fargo Rail in conjunction with Brookfield Asset Management. Over a period of ten years, GATX will have the option to acquire almost 100% of the Wells Fargo Rail fleet. This will make GATX the largest operating lessor of railcars and locomotives in North America and give them control/ownership of 23% of the operating lessor-owned railcar fleet. 

Railcar operating lessor consolidation has been on a low simmer over the past decade. Some of the impetus has been a private equity infusion (directly or indirectly) into the railcar market; some has been the recognition that railcar prices (and rental rates for leasing cars) hadn’t exactly kept up with inflation. 

After this transaction, there will be five railcar operating lessors with more than 100,000 cars, a couple with fewer than 100,000 and more than 20,000, and a larger group with 20,000 or fewer. 

Here’s the point: North American rail is an incredibly mature industry that runs fluidly (more or less) over a continent. The industry frets and frets and frets again and again over growth. Mergers and acquisitions at lofty levels between some of the largest companies in a segment is about expense consolidation and reduction, efficiency and of doing more with less. It is rarely about increased prospects for organic growth. 

Some people can convince (or con) themselves that a transcontinental railroad will provide better service. A railroad that can move intermodal across the country and avoid the Chicago interchange can be better at moving that freight. Ask most shippers what generally offers them better service and most would say having two railroads compete for the same business. Mergers promise improvements. North American rail hasn’t always delivered on those promises.

Mergers at these levels seem almost defensive as well as opportunistic. Like a married couple, the sum of two may deliver better financial reports together than separately. 

Key differences between the mergers exist: A new railroad is not going to appear anytime soon. Generally, the existing track is all the track there is going to be. Railcar leasing is different than running a railroad. Even if the industry only intends to produce about 30,000 railcars in 2025, new railcars are easier to manufacture than new lines of track. Lessor consolidation at these levels can allow new entrants into the market that could steal market share from larger companies. 

Both deals amplify the ubiquitous concerns about growth that have been and will continue to dominate the rail industry news cycle..

Got questions? Set them free at dnahass@railfin.com. 

The post Organic Growth or Doing More With Less? appeared first on Railway Age.

VHB During a companywide livestream on July 29 Mike Carragher (left) introduced Bill Ashworth as VHB’s next President and CEO. (Photograph Courtesy of VHB)

VHB Chief Operating Officer Bill Ashworth has been selected as the firm’s next President and CEO, succeeding Mike Carragher, who will continue in the position for the remainder of 2025 to help execute a transition plan. Ashworth will officially take on his role as President in January 2026, working closely with Carragher until his full transition into the President and CEO role in July 2026, according to VHB, which partners with clients in the transportation, real estate, institutional, and energy industries, as well as federal, state, and local governments. Carragher will continue to serve as the firm’s Chair for the next several years.

“Bill has been making a positive impact at VHB since joining the firm early in his career as a traffic engineer 29 years ago in our Providence office,” VHB reported Aug. 4. “His career progression is a reflection of his commitment and leadership.” He advanced through various roles within VHB’s Rhode Island office, including Transportation Director, before being named Managing Director. He then served as the New England Regional Manager before being appointed as Chief Operating Officer in 2017.

“I’ve been so fortunate to have been given opportunities to grow my career at VHB alongside incredible colleagues over the past 29 years,” Ashworth said. “I truly love this company, and I care deeply about our people, our purpose, and our future. It’s an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to lead our generational company.”

“During the interview process for the President and CEO role, Bill outlined a very compelling, future-focused vivid description for achieving VHB’s vision and success, demonstrating his deep and thoughtful consideration of the rapid pace of change and looking out longer-term,” Mike Carragher said.

VHB has more than 30 offices on the East Coast, spanning Connecticut; Washington, D.C.; Virginia; Georgia; Florida; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Vermont; and Rhode Island.

Further Reading:

• VHB Launches Energy Consultancy Division
• HB Opens Larger Newark, N.J., Office
• VHB: NYC Office Experiences ‘Unprecedented Growth’

LX Pantos (Photograph Courtesy of LX Pantos)

David Bang has been named CEO, Americas for Seoul, South Korea-based LX Pantos, a global logistics company with end-to-end supply chain solutions, including freight forwarding, contract logistics, intermodal transportation, rail services and e-commerce logistics. With more than 30 years of logistics experience, Bang will lead approximately 2,000 employees across key markets in North and South America.

Before joining LX Pantos, which is a part of LX Group—a South Korean conglomerate with more than $16.8 billion in annual revenue that emerged from a spin-off of LG Group in 2021—Bang served as Global Chief Commercial Officer at JAS Worldwide, where he is said to have transformed its commercial footprint into a globally recognized logistics provider, particularly in the key industries such as automotive, aerospace and defense, pharma and healthcare, energy solutions, and technology. He also spent more than 20 years at DHL as a co-founder and CEO of a joint venture between DHL and Lufthansa Cargo for bio-pharma temperature controlled international logistics.

“We expect David Bang to elevate our business in the Americas—a strategic region for LX Pantos—to the next level, based on his abundant experience and network in the global market,” LX Pantos CEO Lee Yong-ho said.

The post People News: VHB, LX Pantos appeared first on Railway Age.

ASLRRA PERSPECTIVE, RAILWAY AGE AGE AUGUST 2025 ISSUE: Every new Administration begins its tenure with a wave of activity. This time around, POTUS 47’s “unique” style combined with a change of party control in Congress has turned that expected wave into a tsunami. I am pleased to say that short line railroads have met the moment in an admirable fashion and on many fronts.

Since January, short lines have presented oral testimony at three Congressional Hearings—Pinsly Railroad General Counsel and ASLRRA Executive Committee member Kristin Bevil before the House T&I Committee on ways to improve the CRISI grant process, Anacostia Rail CEO Peter Gilbertson before the Senate Commerce Committee on modernizing the rail network, and yours truly before the House T&I on the need for continuing federal infrastructure investment and short line priorities in surface transportation reauthorization.

Immediately after the new Session of Congress began, short lines started soliciting Congressional signatures on letters to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees urging full funding for the CRISI grant program. In short order they secured signatures from 62 House Members and 31 Senators. Although the FY2026 appropriations process is yet to be finished, the House Appropriations Committee has advanced its version of the bill that includes $538.4 million for CRISI, up significantly from the $100 million enacted in FY2025. This funding is in addition to the $1 billion in advance CRISI appropriations approved by the previous Congress.

In May, ASLRRA hosted one of the best attended Railroad Day on Capitol Hill events ever, with 305 Congressional meetings held by 327 well-prepared and engaged attendees from across the country. One of the primary missions was to secure co-sponsors for the short line 45G rail rehabilitation tax credit modernization bills. 

In addition, short lines have participated in a half dozen state specific fly-ins to build our 45G co-sponsor list. These combined efforts have resulted in more than 400 short line representatives holding more than 500 Congressional meetings in the first six months of the year. This work has now yielded 96 co-sponsors for the House bill (H.R.516) and 13 co-sponsors for the Senate bill (S.1532). 

While this is more co-sponsors than the vast majority of bills introduced in the new Congress (we’re in the 97th percentile already), we know from past experience that our success in enacting 45G legislation depends on our ability to secure a majority of the 435 House and 100 Senate Members. There is a long road ahead on that front, and 99th percentile is more fun than 97th percentile anyway.

With the able assistance of an active ASLRRA Surface Transportation Board (STB) Working Group, ASLRRA General Counsel Sarah Yurasko has spearheaded an effort to secure STB process and policy changes that will benefit the short line industry. The effort piggybacks on STB Chairman Fuchs’s policy review initiative, which is seeking to streamline agency procedures, improve collaboration and transparency, and ensure a more efficient and effective regulatory environment. We are seeking three changes that will save short lines time and money and level the playing field with our modal competitors. 

First, short line railroads spend valuable time and resources asserting federal preemption in state and federal courts in matters where there is clearly preemption. We are asking the STB to provide more aggressive and anticipatory leadership in helping educate states, localities, federal entities, and courts about the extent of ICC Termination Act (ICCTA) preemption. 

The STB took on the task effectively in commenting on CARB’s Section 209(E) Authorization Request for its In-Use Locomotive Regulation. This type of proactive work is crucial in protecting short lines’ ability to compete with trucks for business.

Second, short lines need an accelerated process for the formal recognition of common carrier status. Because there is no established process, other than through a lengthy STB declaratory order proceeding, for new carriers to provide local government agencies or the courts proof of that status, short lines are often forced to spend significant amounts of time and money on legal proceedings predicated on third parties and/or local government challenging the carrier’s STB-regulated common carrier status.

Third, in 2006 the STB made a regulatory change that unnecessarily lengthened the period for class exemption procedures from seven days to 30 days. Delays cost money and kill deals and are a regulatory invitation for competitive modes of transportation not so regulated to fill the transportation void and grab competitive business.

A real tsunami will change the landscape it hits in an instant and there is little anyone can do about that. Today’s political tsunami has indeed changed the landscape in an instant, but short lines have proven there is much we can do to respond. 

I am deeply appreciative of the thousands of hours that short line representatives have spent meeting with and educating Members of Congress and transportation agency decision-makers on the issues that are so important to short line success. What progress we have made in the past six months is a direct result of that time and effort. I cannot stress enough how important it is that short lines continue that work. 

The post We Must Continue to ‘Meet the Moment’ appeared first on Railway Age.

UP The 100th rebuilt tamper has placards commemorating the accomplishment. (UP Photograph)

The UP Equipment Shop team in Denver, Colo., recently rebuilt its 100th tamper, a Harsco unit. The milestone was a decade in the making, reflecting an “employee-led commitment to safety and extending the life of critical equipment—all while delivering reliable service for customers,” the railroad reported Aug. 4.

The journey began in 2015, when UP launched its automatic tamper switch rebuild program. That first year, the Denver team rebuilt two tampers. By 2017, they reached 12 annually, a pace they have maintained ever since, according to the railroad.

In December 2023, UP reported rebuilding the first of 32 continuous action tamper machines. Work on the 09-16 Dynacat from Plasser American included a redesigned cab to improve ease of access, as well as visibility and air flow; relocation of valves, hoses, manifolds, electrical panels, and pumps for easier maintenance access; and replacement of the manually operated extension bar with a hydraulic telescoping boom for greater maneuverability.

“Our front-line team’s craftsmanship and dedication to quality drive our success,” UP Senior Manager-Maintenance-of-Way Shop, Engineering Casey Prewitt said. “They’ve streamlined everything from training to parts storage, helping maximize the value of every resource. I’m proud of the team. Safety is our foundation—we have a culture of doing things the right way the first time. That goes for workmanship, too. The data shows the equipment we rebuild is equal to or better than new machines.”

“No project is too big for this team,” added Russ Rohlfs, Vice President, Engineering at UP.

According to the railroad, the team is working on its second CAT tamper rebuild, and starting next year, will begin work on ballast regulators.

Further Reading:

• STB Receives Notice of Intent for Proposed UP-NS Merger
• Union Pacific + Norfolk Southern: It’s Official
• Amtrak, Union Pacific Settle Sunset Limited Dispute

CSX

Congrats to the CSX Southeast Region Communications & Signals team for achieving 4 years without a reportable injury under FRA guidelines! Their commitment to #safety and mitigating hazards exemplifies the #SafeCSX culture we’re building every day. #ONECSX pic.twitter.com/Ow14KhppRT

— CSX (@CSX) August 1, 2025

CSX on Aug. 1 honored its Southeast Region Communications & Signals team via social media for achieving four years without a reportable injury under Federal Railroad Administration guidelines.

“Four years injury-free as a region, the amount of bonds that have been put on, the amount of miles of track that have been walked, [it is] just a huge accomplishment that doesn’t happen without your commitment, your team’s commitment,” CSX Assistant Regional Engineer Scott Coster said in a special video the Jacksonville, Fla.-based railroad released (watch above). All the Communications & Signals managers from across the Southeast met at Bennett Yard in Charleston, S.C., to mark the occasion, and the video covered job safety briefings and a 90-day/quarterly switch test and inspection.

Today, government officials, @FSCJ_Official reps, & CSX leaders broke ground on a state-of-the-art hazmat training facility. This marks a big step in preparing #FirstResponders for rail-related incidents & reaffirms CSX's commitment to community #safety. pic.twitter.com/ZLEXqbhkxF

— CSX (@CSX) August 4, 2025

Meanwhile, CSX has teamed with Florida State College at Jacksonville to construct a hazmat training facility located at FSCJ’s Fire Academy of the South. The partners on Aug. 4 held a groundbreaking ceremony (see video above) and are planning to launch the facility in early 2026.

The center will train first responders, emergency managers, and industry professionals to handle rail-related hazmat incidents through live exercises and classroom instruction, according to the railroad. Students will gain hands-on experience with containment, response, and coordination using general and pressure service tank cars, highway cargo tank trucks, simulators, a locomotive, and an augmented reality scenario program. 

(Logo Courtesy of CSX)

“This facility will be an invaluable resource for training first responders to handle hazardous materials incidents effectively,” said Joe Hinrichs, CSX President and CEO and Railway Age’s 2025 Railroader of the Year. “Our partnership with FSCJ reflects our broader commitment to delivering safe and reliable operations while creating value and opportunity in the communities in which we live and work.”

“FSCJ is proud to strengthen our ongoing partnership with CSX through the development of this state-of-the-art facility dedicated to railroad emergency response training,” added John Avendano, Ph.D., President of the College, which serves more than 45,000 students and awards nearly 4,000 degrees and certificates each year. “A recognized leader in the training of first responders, FSCJ is dedicated to supporting critical needs for advanced emergency management education, which we know contributes to our region’s vitality.”

Further Reading:

• CSX: ‘We Continue to Stay Focused’
• CSX Earns Toyota’s Rail Quality Award
• CSX Introduces Mobile Collision Safety System

The post Class I Briefs: UP, CSX appeared first on Railway Age.

RAILWAY AGE AUGUST 2025 ISSUE: For 115 years after Railway Age began publishing in 1856, passenger trains were operated by private-sector railroads. That changed in 1971, when Amtrak was formed to keep a small number of trains going, while most were discontinued; a change that represented financial relief for hard-pressed railroads. During the 1970s and 80s, the railroads were able to turn their local passenger operations over to public-sector transit authorities, who kept them going, mostly in the nation’s largest cities. The last private sector passenger train, except for tourist railroads, was operated by the Denver & Rio Grande as the Rio Grande Zephyr between Denver and Salt Lake City on a tri-weekly schedule until 1983. Then it became part of today’s Callifornia Zephyr route in Amtrak’s long-distance network.

Today there is talk of private-sector passenger trains once again. Two potential operators want to run overnight business-oriented trains, including luxury features. RAILnet-21 proposes an investor-owned Infrastructure Management Organization (IMO) that would manage Amtrak’s mileage on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and elsewhere, while AmeriStarRail (ASR) has proposed operating more trains on the NEC and its branches than Amtrak runs today, and with some additional routes. We recently reported on ASR’s plan for the Transcontinental Chief, which would run between New York and Washington, DC in the East and Los Angeles in the West, including on the historic Santa Fe route where Amtrak’s Southwest Chief runs today. Still, these are all proposals, rather than trains running.

It Started in Florida

There is one significant private-sector passenger operation in the United States today. It’s Brightline, which runs between Miami and Orlando Airport, with intermediate stops that include Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. It began as All Aboard Florida (AAF) in 2012, became Brightline in 2015, and began operating on the southern part of the Florida East Coast Railroad (FEC) in 2018. For more than five years, Brightline operated a unique three-stop service between downtown Miami and West Palm Beach, with its only intermediate stop in downtown Fort Lauderdale. It was new-looking, novel, and faster than the more-traditional local service offered on Tri-Rail, mostly located several miles inland.

On Sept. 22, 2023, Brightline began serving Orlando International Airport (code MCO), a northward extension that had been in the works for years. The journey from AAF to MCO (or OIA, as some people like to call it) has not been a smooth one, but it has attracted a lot of attention, including reports in the local Florida papers and other media, national news outlets, and publications such as Railway Age. Brightline’s path toward Orlando has had more twists and turns than the actual railroad.

AAF was started in 2012 by Florida East Coast Industries, a real estate arm of Fortress Investment Group. In that sense, the railroad’s founders emulated the FEC’s founder, real estate developer Henry M. Flagler, who was active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The upgrades to the FEC for Brightline service were financed by an RRIF (Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing) loan and private activity bond sales. An Oct. 8, 2014 article in the Palm Beach Post called the financing deal an “All Aboard Florida Shocker.”

Construction started in 2014 and the first service, between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, began in 2018. It was extended to downtown Miami later that year, to a station that today also hosts Tri-Rail’s “Miami Link,” but with separate entrances for each service. They run on different railroads and serve different customer bases, and Miami Central Station is the only point where they meet.

I have reported relatively often on Brightline since I came on board at Railway Age in 2018. The first major story I covered was Brightline’s flirtation with Richard Branson’s Virgin brand. The Brightline brand disappeared briefly, and Branson’s Virgin Group hailed the “Red Spike Era” for “Virgin Trains, USA,” but Brightline and Branson had a falling-out and the Brightline brand came back. Branson sued in London and won a judgment there, but the Brightline brand remains part of the American rail scene.

The original FEC service ran between Miami and Jacksonville, and served as the Florida segment of through-routed trains to and from places like New York and Chicago. The trains served such tourist meccas as St. Augustine and Daytona Beach in those days, as well as the areas now known as the Space Coast and the Treasure Coast. That operation ended when a multi-year strike began in 1963, and the FEC discontinued the last remnant of the old service in 1968. Communities like Stuart, Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, and Cocoa lost their trains and have not hosted a passenger train since. Affected counties, especially Indian River County (where Vero Beach is), sued Brightline over financial and safety issues, although some residents were aggrieved because they would not have the benefit of any trains stopping in their towns. Infill stations at Aventura and Boca Raton, on the part of the line where service began in 2018, opened for service in December 2022. There are also plans to build new infill stations at Stuart and Cocoa, which are north of West Palm Beach, and service is expected to start in 2028.

Brightline ceased operations for a time during the COVID-19 pandemic, but came back on November 8, 2021 after an absence of 19½ months. The next big news came on September 22, 2023, when trains ran to Orlando Airport for the first time. The FEC route between West Palm Beach and Cocoa was upgraded, and Brightline built new railroad along the Beachline Expressway between Cocoa and Orlando Airport; track rated for 125 mph. It’s not “high-speed rail” by international standards, but we call it “high-performance rail.” We covered these and other events through the years at Railway Age.

The trip takes 3:25 or 3:30 between Miami and Orlando Airport, and trains run roughly hourly for most of the service day. Train sets previously consisted of four cars: one “premium class” car with 2-1 seating, and three “smart class” (Brightline’s name for a conventional coach) with 2-2 seating. There is now an additional coach or two, with a 4000-HP Siemens Charger SCB-40 unit at each end. Brightline has ten such sets and ordered 30 more cars to lengthen them. Some of those cars are already in service.

High-Speed Rail Under Construction at Brightline West Brightline West photo

Meanwhile, as Brightline was developing its service in Florida, efforts were under way to serve Las Vegas, Nevada with passenger trains for the first time since 1997. The initiative began as DesertXpress in 2005 and later became XpressWest. The original plan was to run between Las Vegas and a point in the Victor Valley in Southern California. The nearest town of any size is Victorville, a stop on Amtrak’s Southwest Chief located about three hours’ running time east of Los Angeles. Fortress Investment Group acquired XpressWest in 2018 and rebranded the project as Brightline West in 2020.

Construction started in 2024, and most of the line will be built in the median of highway I-15. Plans call for a “Victor Valley” station in the town of Apple Valley and one at Hesperia, also in the Mojave Desert region. The line will be single track with passing sidings, which will require precise scheduling and operation, especially since the top speed is slated to be 200 mph (FRA Class 9 track), which meets the standard for true high-speed rail. Siemens will supply ten seven-car trainsets, and the line will be electrically operated. Current plans call for service to begin late in 2028, running 45-minute headways.

Plans also call for an extension to a “Southern California Station” (as the Brightline West website, www.brightlinewest.com, calls it) at Rancho Cucamonga. That location is currently served by the San Bernardino Line on Metrolink, which runs regional trains, mostly to and from Los Angeles. Brightline West says that the station “will be co-located with existing multi-modal transportation options, including Metrolink, for seamless connectivity to Downtown Los Angeles and other destinations through Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties.” That’s where Metrolink goes.

The current Metrolink schedule would not provide connections for all Brightline West trains, but it will allow access to the Los Angeles catchment area, with its millions of people. With the recent expansion of rail transit in and near the city, Los Angeles has become a place where it is possible to live without an automobile, and some Angelinos are doing that. They are slated to have access to Las Vegas through Brightline West, even though it would be a two-seat ride, with a transfer at Rancho Cucamonga. There is also a proposal to build a second route that would allow riders to reach the Los Angeles area: the High Desert Corridor. It would run from The Victor Valley Station near Victorville, west to Palmdale on Metrolink’s Antelope Valley Line, which terminates further north at Lancaster. It would connect with Metrolink (schedule permitting) for a two-seat ride to or from the city. Palmdale is also a proposed stop on the currently embattled California High-Speed Rail (CAHSR), line if that line is completed.

According to Brightline West spokesperson Antonio Castelan, the Las Vegas station would be “right on Las Vegas Boulevard near Warm Springs Road – right next to the I-15. This is about ten minutes south of the Strip.” He added: “The train station will be set up as a mobility hub. Passengers will be able to connect with rideshare services, buses, and regional transit. We are making our passengers’ travel as convenient as possible.”

Brightline West Starts Building

Castalan told Railway Age construction is moving forward: “Brightline West has completed approximately 99% of its field investigations, including geotechnical borings, utility potholing, and environmental surveys along the I-15 corridor. Initial construction activities are underway in both California and Nevada, with the first heavy civil work expected to ramp up in late 2025.” He also said: “The route will span approximately 218 miles with trains operating predominantly within the I-15 median. Plans include wildlife crossings, grade separations, desert-adapted infrastructure, and a mix of single- and double-track sections designed to reduce environmental impact while maintaining high-speed performance.” He projected a travel time for that distance of 2 hours and 10 minutes, which would place the average speed at slightly more than 100 mph; within the range of what we call “high-performance” rail. Some segments will allow faster speeds, specifically the part along the median of I-15. According to Castalan, “The corridor supports maximum line speeds of 200 mph, with everyday operational caps near 186 mph, except where gradients or terrain necessitate lower speeds.”

While there was hope that the line could be open for service in time for the upcoming Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, Brightline West managers no longer expect that. According to Castalan: “Recent bond documents and statements took time to finalize. Brightline West still anticipates completing construction by the end of 2028.”

On the Florida side, the big news came almost two years ago, when service began on the extension to Orlando Airport. Efforts are continuing to secure financing through bonds for capital construction on the Sunshine Corridor in the Orlando area, which Brightline and local operation SunRail plan to share, and a further extension to Tampa. WFLA in Tampa reported on July 18 that the proposed extension to that city is gaining community support.

Challenges Along the Way

Safety has become an issue lately, in light of an investigative report and podcast by the Miami Herald and local NPR station WLRN about accidents along the line, questionably titled Killer Train. In response, Brightline criticized the report in the Herald and defended its safety record, saying: “Safety is the top priority at Brightline. We have been a leader in the industry on safety initiatives related to education, enforcement, and engineering. As a result of our focus, including our significant investments in safety infrastructure, none of the incidents along the railroad have been the result of improper train handling by Brightline personnel or failure of our equipment or infrastructure. The incidents we have seen in Florida are the same ones facing other railroads around the nation.” Brightline also said: “We have an ongoing, cooperative and strong relationship with the Federal Railroad Administration and the Florida Department of Transportation and are fully compliant with all federal and state regulations.”

WLRN also reported on July 16 that Brightline’s ridership had dropped and so had its bond rating. Trains were lengthened recently to increase capacity, and departures that had been cut from the schedule returned in June. However, Chris Persaud reported in the Palm Beach Post on July 18 that South Florida ridership had grown for the first time in years. He reported that there were 84,000 passengers in the region in June 2025 compared to 150,000 in June 2023. He began his report: “For the first time in about two years, the private passenger train Brightline is gaining riders following its reintroduction of commuter passes for the tri-county area, but ridership in the region still lags far behind 2023 figures.” The least-expensive fare is $15 per ride on a 40-ride ticket. A comparable ticket charged $10 per ride until the program was killed last year. According to Persaud, Brightline brought in $16.9 million in June; up 11% from last year, and $105.9 million for the first half of 2025, up 12% from last year. He also reported: “Brightline lost about $549 million in 2024, in large part due to paying $218 million to refinance its debt of about $4.6 billion.”  

In the meantime, Brightline does not appear to be fazed by these challenges, as it continues its marketing and promotional efforts. The latest development is the opening of Central Fare, a new food hall located next to the Miami Central Station that Brightline shares with local railroad Tri-Rail. According to Brightline Communications Consultant Michael Hicks, the Miami Central Food Collective will feature twelve vendors, all of which are locally based.

An Advocate’s View

James Tilley is President of the Florida Coalition of Railroad Passengers (FRCP) and has also been a Railway Age contributor. This is his assessment of the future of Brightline: “Brightline has been a godsend. I no longer drive all the way to south Florida from Jacksonville but will drop the car in Orlando and take the train from there. Reasonably fast – especially between Orlando and Cocoa prior to operating over FEC. But, more importantly, incredibly reliable even with shared freight trackage.” Tilley looks forward to the planned Cocoa station and added: “There can be little doubt that the build out from Orlando to Tamp will be well patronized.” Regarding the financial side, he told Railway Age: “It is difficult to envision Brightline’s existence absent common ownership of both FEC and Brightline by Fortress. In its previous role as FEC’s owner Fortress was able to press forward with a major passenger project. Their financial wherewithal facilitated funding by bringing a credible reputation to the security markets” and “The FEC possessed a real estate portfolio that Fortress retains control over that has reaped the benefit of increased values due to the access to high quality rail service.” He also struck a cautionary note about Brightline’s finances: “However, as a standalone business, it is difficult to envision the future. The railroad is highly leveraged, and its debt service is heavy. Operating losses remain significant despite the growth of revenue and passenger count. While Brightline returns to the bond market for funds to build out the Tampa extension the ratings agencies have expressed concerns regarding the increasing load of debt Brightline now carries which will increase.”

East and West Sides of Brightline Plan Ahead

Both sides of Brightline have ambitious plans, especially Brightline West, which would become the first true high-speed rail line in the United States if things go as planned. Expansion plans for Brightline in Florida are more modest, with the next potential extension being the proposed Sunshine Corridor running west from Orlando Airport, which Brightline and local predominantly-commuter railroad SunRail would share. While still several years off, the Sunshine Corridor would help Brightline reach Tampa, a destination that was set to receive an FRA grant during the Obama Administration until Gov. Rick Scott rejected the money and it was redirected to projects elsewhere.

There has also been talk of extending some Brightline service north on the historic FEC main, all the way to Jacksonville. At this time, all we know is that Brightline has trackage rights, so such an extension could come. Until 1963, the FEC was the preferred route for many Florida vacationers as well as South Florida residents, for two reasons: it served the popular destinations that were developed by Henry M. Flagler for the FEC, and it was faster than the route that Amtrak currently uses, along with other routes on the historic Seaboard and Atlantic Coast Line Railroads. Both are now parts of CSX.

If Brightline ever runs as far as Jacksonville and manages to connect with trains from points north, rail travel to Florida will have come full circle and returned to its original popular route. It will be a case of either “Forward, into the Past” or “Back to the Future” of rail travel in the Sunshine State. In the meantime, and management hopes much sooner, Brightline West could be running genuine high-speed rail on at least a part of the route between Los Angeles and Las Vegas—even if it requires a two-seat ride to go all the way; at least until Brightline West can reach Los Angeles Union Station.

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RAILWAY AGE AUGUST 2025 ISSUE: Artificial Intelligence is a controversial subject—though not for railroads when it comes to safety, if used properly. 

The North American freight rail industry needs multiple technologies informed by artificial intelligence and machine learning to counter and address the complex needs of the vast North American rail network, sources told Railway Age. The railroads are responsible for monitoring 1.6 million railcars and more than 26,000 locomotives traveling on 140,000 of railway track located in diverse terrain, and AI-informed technologies ranging from ultrasounds and electromagnetics, to drone-based inspection systems, optical-based systems and LIDAR, help to do just that.

“When we talk about the railroads—and this is true for applications in other fields, like in aerospace or pipeline or any industry—not everything can be inspected, mainly because there is a lot of variability in the equipment part,” said Anish Poudel, a Principal Investigator II with MxV Rail’s nondestructive evaluation team. Poudel is involved in testing AI-informed technologies at MxV Rail. And that’s why “we rely on multiple technologies to kind of overcome the limitations of one technology versus another. So there is always a benefit of using multiple technologies that will allow you to see things differently,” he said.

AI’s Evolution in Freight Rail

The use of AI and machine learning in the freight rail industry has been well under way for quite some time. For instance, among the Class I railroads, western carrier BNSF uses AI in conducting wheel inspections, tracking container inventory at intermodal yards and making switching operations more efficient. Union Pacific has developed a ChatGPT-like tool that can analyze data trends.

Indeed, while AI has become a buzzword in the past several years, the concept has existed in the freight rail industry for decades, according to Poudel. In the 1970s and 1980s, the rail industry, along with other industries, utilized a low-level AI application known as the “perceptron technique” to develop an artificial neural network. However, the model ultimately failed because people were “under the notion that AI would solve everything—you build one model, and then you apply a wide range of applications,” Poudel said. “It was kind of like a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. And it failed.”

Despite the failure, people continued to build algorithms for AI, including those for machine learning, a subset of AI where a computer is taught to learn patterns. The advent of the deep learning neural network in the early 2000s opened endless opportunities for AI, including what people know today as large-language models, according to Poudel. “The railroads have been using some level of pattern recognition algorithm tools for many, many years. These were very low-level machine learning algorithms. But now, I would say that yes, the railroads do use advanced analytics,” such as deep learning models to process images from inspection portals that take pictures of speeding railcars, Poudel said. Such train inspection portals are in use at eastern Class I’s CSX and Norfolk Southern.

These inspection portals are comprised of multi-camera systems and lighting systems that can take millions of images of railcars going at track speed, according to Poudel. These images are fed into the deep learning models and enable the railroads to get real-time information on the health of the railcar, he said. The benefit of using this kind of technology is that it can enhance mechanical inspections, which can otherwise take an hour to inspect both sides of a 120-car train. The images can also be taken in the middle of the night, or if it’s raining or snowing. 

Algorithms can also be developed to focus on searching for specific defects, such as broken wheels or defects on railcar springs. “You have an opportunity to do that inspection 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. So, in terms of productivity, I think using the machine vision systems, especially for looking into the rolling stock component, is a shift change,” Poudel said.

Indeed, one of the challenges in using AI now is the velocity and veracity at which data is coming out, according to Poudel. “This data is growing much, much faster than ever before,” and the data is imposing a lot of processing demands as a result, Poudel said.

One goal involving big data is whether it can be used to create real-time inspections, Poudel continued. Because so much data is being produced, “you have to rely on a machine to be able to assist you in terms of pinpointing where the problems are,” he said. This is why the human is still an important factor, because “you cannot just let the system go alone. You need to have the human in the loop there. There is a notion that, in different communities, the machine is going to take my job away, or something like that. It’s never going to happen. People are an important part of the equation.”

Poudel’s view of the human’s key role is also shared by Mika Majapuro, Vice President of Commercial Product management for Railinc. “Personally, I’m a big believer in humans and AI. It’s hard for me to see that AI would replace a ton of people in our field. You’re still going to need people who can look at the data and make critical decisions,” Majapuro said. “However, AI might support new employees in the freight rail industry by providing them with knowledge akin to that of an industry veteran. The big thing is, how can I make my new people perform like someone who’s been doing this for 20 years? And I think that’s where you’re going to see advances. And then, when there’s too much information, too much chaos, the tool can make some recommendations for you. It’s still up to the user to make critical decisions: What am I going to do with this prediction or with this recommendation?” 

AI and Machine Learning Practical Applications 

As Poudel mentioned, the freight rail industry has been using AI and machine learning for years. The products that are available now build more sophistication upon existing offerings.

Railinc has been working since 2018 on developing AI to improve the estimated time of arrival, according to Majapuro. Since Railinc’s initial offering of Advanced ETA, Railinc has produced at least three new updated editions. “We like to say that when we talk to shippers and ask them, what are your three top pain points? They say, ETA, ETA and ETA,” Majapuro said. 

Railinc’s AI-informed product to improve ETA involves working with data provided by different railroad companies. For instance, NS may need to hand over a railcar to CSX, and Railinc functions as the middleman, where different data is passed between different parties with permission to view that data. 

The product functions as a neural network model that looks at factors such as location, car type, commodity, time of year and time of the date to predict an estimated time of arrival. The data that feeds into Railinc’s ETA offering comes from wayside detectors along track in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. “As the car travels, we continue to make updates on the prediction,” Majapuro said. “Railinc’s ETA offering also uses historical weather patterns as an inpute, further enabling more informed decision-making.” For the freight rail industry, “sometimes it’s measured in weeks how long it takes to go from origin and destination, and you have crews that are timing out and trees falling on tracks. That’s why the ETA challenge has been so difficult for many companies to solve. There are so many variables. That’s why we’re so proud of the work that we’re doing, and being able to help the industry and help
the shippers.”

Another Railinc offering that uses data from the wayside detectors is one that monitors the wheelset health. This offering also uses neural networks, which “is obviously a different model than what we use for the ETA, but with some of the same principles,” Majapuro said. “You want to be able to replace those wheelsets before something bad happens. But also, there’s a convenience factor. If you can make predictions when the wheel set will fail, you can control when and how you’re going to change the wheelset.” 

The wayside detectors have a reader that measures the force that the wheel is applying against the track, Majapuro continued. “We take that data, and then we take the time of the year, for example, and the miles on the current wheels, and we can make predictions on the likelihood that an alert will be triggered to replace the wheels.” The offering can also gauge the severity level of the alert, he said, allowing the railcar owner to maintain the car and replace the wheels when it’s convenient. 

This type of insight is also valuable as a lot of very experienced railroaders are retiring, leaving behind a newer, incoming workforce that may lack institutional knowledge to make informed decisions. “You can use AI to make sense of that and prioritize tasks for you—maybe not trusting the AI to make the decisions, but the AI can propose to you, hey, it’s eight o’clock on Friday, these are the five things that you should be working on.” 

MxV Rail’s LTTS TrackEi Optical broken rail detection system, currently under evaluation at FAST under the AAR SRI rail inspection technology program. It uses Machine Vision technology on an edge computing device coupled with deep neural network architecture to intelligently capture visual defects using cameras and characterize it using AI/ML algorithms. MxV Rail

Meanwhile, at MxV Rail, Poudel is involved in testing the application of machine learning on rail inspection that uses ultrasonic technology. The ultrasonic technology detects flaws at the microscopic level, and the machine learning will seek to characterize the flaws. Currently, the railroads collect data that eventually makes its way into the back office via an internet connection or some kind of communication architecture. The data gets processed using cloud architecture, and then the results get transferred to the maintenance group. (Download research paper below.)

MxV Rail

But what Poudel and other researchers want to know is if machine learning can enable the railroads to make decisions on the fly, or as the data is being collected. “What we’re trying to do is, can we implement machine learning or AI in the same device where you collect the data and make that decision in real time,” Poudel said. “That would definitely improve the efficiency in terms of, you don’t need to go back to the track again and occupy the track and reverify it. If we can do that on the fly, that would be a huge step change.”

Poudel and MxV Rail researchers are also looking at applying machine learning using an edge computing device as well as saving raw data, which could open up the possibility of data fusion,” Poudel said. “The goal is the same towards the end: to prevent the rail failure,” he said. “So, our goal and vision is, can we come up with a methodology that would allow us to communicate with other forms of data stream and blend this data together, fuse this data, to come up with the high-level findings, and find or predict this discontinuities or anything that can go wrong with the rail ahead of the time?”

Collaboration is Key

Just as multiple AI-informed offerings and products are needed to respond to the diverse safety and operational challenges facing the freight railroads, so are multiple stakeholders needed to ensure that AI and machine learning are utilized effectively. “Input from these stakeholders may come from technical committees affiliated with the Association of American Railroads, or they may come from researchers’ white papers. Companies can take the findings from the resources and see how they apply to existing models and products, Majapuro said. “There are a lot of technical committees and meetings where our best practices are shared.” 

Poudel agrees. In the committees involving the railroads, original equipment manufacturers and technology suppliers, “there is a great collaboration,” he said. “They don’t share exactly what they’re doing, but in general, they share experiences with each other that would allow them to work together and bring the technology forward. When you collaborate with different people, that’s where the innovation comes. So, when it comes down to AI, I think we as an industry need to figure out a way in terms of how we can share data and collaborate with others, because to be able to train a good model, you need tons and tons of data, and that’s only possible through collaboration.”  

TD25-014Download

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The Women in Rail 2025 Conference, presented by Railway Age and RT&S, will feature a dynamic panel of industry mentors, who will help you build your “leadership toolkit.” They will provide winning strategies and hard-earned lessons learned on how to communicate effectively, put together a productive team, make the move from field to management, handle crises, and more.

Their session—“Commanding the Track: Your Leadership Toolkit”—is one of many scheduled for the third-annual in-person Women in Rail Conference, taking place in Chicagoland on Oct. 15-16. It will also include a celebratory luncheon for the Railway Age 2024 Women in Rail and RT&S 2025 Women in Railroad Engineering award honorees, and the chance to network with a wide-reaching group of like-minded professionals. All this will take place at a new, larger venue: the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg. Plus, don’t miss a special tour of Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s (CPKC) Bensenville Yard.

Meet the “Commanding the Track: Your Leadership Toolkit” Panel

Join us Oct. 15 to be part of a conversation with:

• Karen Claussen, a 29-year railroad industry veteran, who will offer top tips on becoming an effective leader. She is Vice Chair of Gulf & Ohio Railways, a family of short lines, and Senior Vice President of Knoxville Locomotive Works, which manufactures both low- and high-horsepower locomotives that are EPA Tier 4 Certified and CARB Verified. Claussen is also deeply involved in several corporate philanthropic endeavors.

• Cassandra Mullee, Vice President Network Operations at CN, who will impart strategies for fast-tracking your career. Appointed to her current role in May 2024, she is based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and responsible for enhancing network efficiency, ensuring fluid terminal operation, and supporting service commitments to drive volume growth.
  
  Mullee has more than 16 years of railroad experience, and previously served Norfolk Southern in field and network operations. She advanced into more senior roles, eventually becoming General Manager, Network Operations and earning one of Railway Age’s  “Fast Tracker” Under 40 awards in 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Science in international business from the College of Charleston and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

“At its core, successful leadership in rail—or any industry—is built on a commitment to continuous learning, preparation, knowledge sharing, and consistent performance. When you focus on delivering value, showing up with confidence, and staying dedicated to your growth, recognition follows—not because of who you are, but because of the impact you make.”—Cassandra Mullee, CN

• Tina Sheaves, Vice President Operations, Eastern Region at CPKC, who will discuss how she transitioned from field work to management—and how you can do the same. A 30-plus-year career freight railroader, Sheaves worked as a Laborer, Forklift Operator, Engineering Timekeeper, Conductor and Yardmaster before moving into leadership as an Operations Coordinator. She continued to take on roles of increasing responsibility throughout Canada, and her experience in Engineering, Mechanical, Intermodal and Train & Engine Operations served her well as Assistant Vice President Operations covering the Eastern Region with a team of more than 700 employees. Sheaves was the first woman at this level in Operations at CPKC.
  
  Sheaves’ commitment to safety is evident in her ability to identify at-risk behaviors and implement new processes to drive desired results. A respected leader with deep credibility, she values feedback, accountability and making a meaningful impact. She is an active participant in CPKC’s Women’s Mentorship program, where she provides guidance and counseling to a diverse group of employees. In 2024, Sheaves was elevated to her current role and received a Railway Age Women in Rail Award.

• Kari Gonzales, President and CEO of MxV Rail, who will address the team building techniques that can help you and your business run productively and efficiently. Gonzales was appointed to lead MxV Rail in a unanimous Board decision in September 2021. She was at the helm while the company built new infrastructure, transformed its services, and moved operations in 2022. And she leads the team with the advantage of 20 years’ service and experience in the rail industry.
  
  Gonzales is a mechanical engineer by training, holds an MBA, and was recognized by Railway Age in 2023 as a Women in Rail Award honoree. She was the inaugural candidate for MxV Rail’s Railroad Exchange Program, spending a year at BNSF as a visiting professional.

“I believe leadership isn’t about waiting for permission—it’s about stepping into your power with purpose. During the Women in Rail Conference, I look forward to sharing the tools, mindset, and strategies that have helped me lead with clarity, courage, and conviction—because the track to transformation starts with each of us.”—Kari Gonzales, MxV Rail

• Henrika Buchanan, SVP and National Practice Consultant for HNTB’s Transit & Rail Market Sector, and a 2024 Railway Age Women in Rail Award honoree, who will help you develop the skills needed to best manage crises. A strategic, results-oriented rail industry leader with more than 25 years of experience in public transportation funding programs, Buchanan has led intercity passenger rail projects, major capital project oversight, transit safety regulations, federal transportation policy, regulatory compliance and change management. She also serves as HNTB’s client service leader for Amtrak, where she is committed to driving success and fostering a strong, strategic partnership tailored to Amtrak’s distinct needs and objectives as a national client.
  
  Before joining HNTB in 2021, Buchanan was a senior executive at the Federal Transit Administration for more than a decade. Her professional accomplishments with the FTA include leading the agency’s recovery efforts for the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Sandy. In 2019, Buchanan was awarded the Presidential Rank award, the highest honor bestowed by the President of the United States upon senior executives, recognizing her efforts to manage a $9 billion support package for areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. Buchanan is an active member of WTS International, the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials and the American Public Transportation Association. She also dedicates time to advocating for her alma mater, Alabama A&M University.

“I’m honored to join the Railway Age/RT&S Women in Rail Conference panel to share insights from my time at the FTA, where I had the privilege of leading emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts during some of our nation’s most extreme weather and economic events. These experiences have shown me how vital it is to not only learn from the past but to innovate and prepare for the future. By building resilient systems and mobilizing early, we can protect communities and save lives.”—Henrika Buchanan, HNTB

About Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail 2025

The “Commanding the Track: Your Leadership Toolkit” panelists will be joined at the 2025 Women in Rail Conference by a diverse group of railroaders with a shared commitment to our industry’s future. Among them: Annie Adams, Chief Human Resources Officer, Norfolk Southern; Jennifer Hamann, EVP & Chief Financial Officer, Union Pacific; Sarah Watterson, President, Brightline West; Herman E. Crosson, Chief Safety & Compliance Officer, Anacostia Rail Holdings; Jenni Benton, SVP Commercial, Patriot Rail; Vianey De la Mora, Director General, Mexican Railway Association (AMF); Jim Derwinski, CEO/Executive Director, Metra; Paul Hubler, Chief Strategy Officer, Metrolink; Cherise Myers, Director-Workforce Development, American Public Transportation Association (APTA); and many more.

Speakers will offer their candid thoughts on topics ranging from marketing yourself to ESG and new technologies.

“Leadership isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build. In the ‘Commanding the Track: Your Leadership Toolkit’ session, I’ll share the practical tools, learned lessons, and everyday habits that have helped me, and can help you, lead with impact. Because the right toolkit doesn’t just elevate your leadership; it empowers your entire journey. It’s a true privilege to be part of this conference. Throughout my journey in rail, I’ve been honored to receive recognition through several industry awards, but the real reward has been learning, growing, and now sharing the leadership tools that helped me get here. I’m excited to pass those insights on to help others command their own path with confidence.”
—Kari Gonzales, MxV Rail

Supporting Organizations

Industry support for the 2025 Women in Rail Conference is already strong, including sponsorship from: AITX, GATX, TrinityRail, CN, CPKC, RailPros, R. J. Corman, API, Genesee & Wyoming, The Greenbrier Companies, UTLX, Progress Rail, Patriot Rail, The National Association of Railway Business Women, and The League of Railway Women.

Learn More

To inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact Jonathan Chalon at jchalon@sbpub.com or (212) 620-7224.

View the confirmed speakers and take advantage of the early bird rate for Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail 2025 >>

Don’t Forget

Through Oct. 2, Railway Age is accepting nominations for its 2025 Women in Rail Awards program, which will honor 25 trailblazers for their achievements in our November issue and at the 2026 Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail Conference. These outstanding railroaders will be selected based on their leadership, vision, innovation, and accomplishments. This award celebrates female leaders in rail and pioneers with a track record of breaking down barriers and helping to create industry opportunities for women. Entries will be judged by Barbara Wilson, Senior Advisor at Railroad Financial Corporation, and Catherine Rinaldi, Executive Vice President of Gateway Development Commission, with input from the Railway Age staff. Both Wilson and Rinaldi will participate at the 2025 Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail Conference.

Submit your nomination now >>

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TTC OPERATED BY ENSCO, RAILWAY AGE AUGUST 2025 ISSUE: Preventing derailments is critical to rail transportation to enable its safe and efficient operation. In the worst-case scenario, a derailment can lead to casualties and property damage. But even in the best-case scenario they lead to network delays that increase costs for the economy. Looking over the last several decades, North American freight rail transportation has made tremendous improvements decreasing derailments. There was a significant reduction in derailments from 2004 to 2024 according to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) derailment statistics. This reduction can be attributed to many factors including the widespread deployment of track and rolling stock automated inspection technology. However, from 2014 to today the total number of derailments has been flat. Track caused derailments have continued to decrease since 2014, but Human Factors and Miscellaneous caused derailments have increased.

One of the best methods to further decrease derailments is the investigation process. Conducting an accurate and scientific investigation is paramount to understanding the root cause (or combination of causes) to properly identify and implement an effective prevention strategy. 

Investigation Fundamentals

From July 22-24, 2025, the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colo., hosted a workshop with more than eighteen freight and passenger railways to learn, collaborate, and discuss the art and science of derailment investigation and prevention. Some of the skills that were taught are from the first steps of arriving at the site of the derailment, including sketching basics, finding the Point of Derailment (POD), reviewing the Locomotive Event Recorder and several other aspects of the investigation process. Most importantly, the workshop included hands-on activities with track and both freight and passenger rolling stock. Unique TTC hands-on activities included creating a site sketch of derailment pile of cars, performing track measurements at and around the POD, and performing a first derailed car
truck inspection.  

At a high level, there are three main types of derailments: 1) a human factor that affected operations such as an incorrectly lined switch, 2) a component that catastrophically failed such as a broken rail and 3) a vehicle/track interaction condition resulting in a wheel permanently leaving the rail. At the workshop, each of these three types were fully explored and discussed. Catastrophic component failures can be challenging to solve. For instance, broken rail can be caused by many different factors. However, at a derailment site there can be numerous pieces of broken rail. How can you tell if the derailment was caused by a broken rail, and which piece caused it? The workshop team addressed that question along with many more.

Investigating Wheel/Rail interaction type derailments can be the most challenging of all three types to identify the primary cause, often because there are multiple contributing factors working together to cause the derailment. There are three types of vehicle/track interaction derailments. First is wheel climb where the first derailed wheel climbs up and over the rail. In this scenario there is a distinctive wheel climb mark at the POD. Second is a wheel drop where the track gauge is spread and a wheel drops within the gauge. Lastly is rail rollover where a rail rolls outward often causing the wheel flange to fall into the web of the rail. All three types can be caused by numerous different factors including track geometry, rail wear, tie and fastener conditions, ballast condition, wheel wear, truck conditions, train handling and train make-up to name a few. 

An important topic the workshop discussed is how to scientifically determine what is the primary cause and what are contributing causes. Important tools to make this assessment are simulation packages to evaluate “what-if” scenarios. Examples include TEDS for track/train dynamics and VAMPIRE for vehicle/track interaction. These simulation tools are invaluable to assess what is the effect of each cause and enabling the ability to quantify how much each contributed to the end result of the derailment. The conclusion of any derailment investigation is the identification of the root cause. Next comes preventing the next derailment. 

Advances in Derailment Prevention 

Derailment prevention can take many forms. These can include updating internal rules and practices, and making changes to infrastructure or rolling stock. But it can also include the adoption of safety technology. A major success story of preventing derailments has been autonomous or unmanned track geometry measurement systems. They have a major advantage in that they can operate continuously in revenue trains without the need for a crew. This greatly increases the number of miles that can be surveyed while also dramatically decreasing survey costs. The first U.S. system was developed as an FRA R&D project started in 2008. Since then, that research facilitated the adoption and growth of the technology to be utilized by all Class I railroads and many passenger and transit systems. FRA derailment statistics show that from 2008 to 2024 there has been a reduction of 231 track geometry caused derailments, a 65% reduction.[1] Closing out the TTC Derailment Investigation and Prevention Workshop, the team discussed best practices of derailment prevention and case histories. A 2026 event is planned, and further information can be found at ttc-ensco.com/derailment-workshop. 

Conclusion

Each year, ENSCO hosts the annual TTC Conference and Tour with this year’s event being held Oct. 7-8. The event is unique in that it brings together all stakeholders of the railway community to hear users of the TTC talk about their latest research, testing, and technology projects. Additionally, attendees get to visit the site to witness hands-on demonstrations of TTC testing capabilities and meet with suppliers that are leading with new and emerging technologies and offerings. 

At the 2025 event, a hands-on demonstration with a supplier’s emerging technology will close the tour day with a freight car derailment equipped with Railway Metrics and Dynamics’s (RMD) latest Derailment Monitoring System. A single wheel or truck can derail and can be dragged for a long distance before a full derailment occurs, typically occurring at a switch or grade crossing. RMD’s system will be tested at the demonstration to detect the derailed wheel in real-time to enable slowing or stopping of the train to greatly reduce damage. More details can be found at ttc-conference.com. 

Reference

1. https://data.transportation.gov/stories/s/Accident-Detail-Listing-3-18-/vq2r-5pm7/

(Logo Courtesy of TTC Operated by ENSCO) Further Reading:

• Automated Rolling Stock Inspection with Wayside and Onboard Technology
• Grade Crossing Collision Testing at the TTC
• Battery Safety in Rail Transportation
• Rail Dynamics Laboratory: A Fresh Look at Full-Scale Rail Testing

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